Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Peter Barrett's New Web Series: Cook {Uncook}
Posted by Jennifer Gutman on Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:51 PM
Chronogram Food & Drink Editor Peter Barrett is collaborating with Craig and Staci of HandPicked Nation for a web series called "Cook {Uncook}," which will be released in short episodes as the videos are shot and edited. The series is an unscripted cooking show that ties together food and music. Peter Barrett hosts the show, and brings with him a lot of musician friends, including world-renowned keyboardist John Medeski in the first episode. Peter hangs and cooks regularly with a whole roster of top-notch music makers.
Here's the trailer, which features John Medeski, of Medeski, Martin & Wood:
As Peter says in the trailer, "It’s very interesting how so many really good musicians have very special relationships with cooking. Music and food are similar. Like music, there’s a rhythm to cooking. It can be collaborative and there’s a lot of room for improvisation."
The series will be based in Woodstock in kitchens, studios, performance venues, farms, and gardens. Peter and his guests will be foraging in the woods and hanging at the farmers’ markets. There will be lots more wonderful and talented people joining the series in the coming months. Check for new episodes at HandPicked Nation, and look for updates on the show's tumblr. We'll also post episodes here at Chronogram.com as they are released.
Berkshire Choral Festival Returns
Posted by Peter Aaron on Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Another Tuesday, another area music festival—that I just didn’t have the space for in my yearly round-up of summer fests—to let you know about.
The Berkshire Choral Festival, which takes place from mid July through early August in Sheffield, Massachusetts, has been ongoing for over 30 years. Every season the renowned series brings together a dazzling selection of choristers, conductors, soloists, and repertoire for “four weeks of glorious choral music that will challenges your intellect and nourish your soul.”
The festival is held in the air-conditioned Jackman L. Stewart Center on the Berkshire School’s campus, which provides the ideal setting for a pre-concert picnic. The 2013 program promises: Bach’s Mass in B Minor (July 13); Lauridsen’s Mid-Winter Songs and Vaughn Williams’s Dona Nobis Pacem and Five Mystical Songs (July 20); Britten’s Spring Symphony and Vivaldi’s Gloria (July 27); and an evening of blues, spirituals, gospel, improvisation, and African-inspired music by the Grammy-winning ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock (August 3). Each performance is preceded by a pre-concert lecture at 6:15pm.
Here’s a promotional video that gives a bit of the lowdown on the festival and its educational programs for visiting students:
For tickets and information, visit Choralfest.org.
Monday, June 17, 2013
This Weekend: Solid Sound, Wilco's Arts and Music Festival
Posted by Marie Solis on Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Indie rock band Wilco hosts their third annual Solid Sound arts and music festival—a three-day event from June 21 to 23 at MASS MoCA that engages all five senses. The North Adams, MA, festival allows concert-goers a unique sample of Wilco's own taste in music, as they handpick every band featured over the weekend. Of these is White Denim, a band whose repertoire spans from piano ballads to acid rock. Other bands include Dream Syndicate, "Border Music" featuring Marc Ribot and David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Yo La Tengo, Medeski, Martin and Wood, Low, Neko Case, Foxygen, Os Mutantes, the Autumn Defense, the Relatives, Sean Rowe, and more.
The Story Pirates, a creative writing organization known for their combination of music and sketch comedy featuring stories written by children, will be the first of these exciting acts. Later on, John Hodgman will keep the laughs coming with comedy acts that have found their way to "The Daily Show," the Emmy's, and innumerable clubs and theaters across the country.
In between performances, non-musical events such as bird walks, hikes, and star gazing will be offered in addition to children's crafts and a series of panels and demonstrations on home brewing and making hot sauce, to name a few.
As always, Solid Sound will be the site of art as well as music, with members of Wilco premiering their own works. Jeff Tweedy will showcase a sonic and visual presentation of the band's Chicago studio, The Loft. Later his bandmates will give guests a hands-on experience of Wilco's music with collaborative synthesizer performances and an exhibit called Earth Drums, which allows participants to communicate with each other via drums scattered throughout Mass MoCA's campus.
This year, the festival boasts vendors and on-site dining provided by local farms such as Equinox Farms and the Berkshire Mountain Bakery, providing freshly-grown cuisine to keep you rocking on for the entire weekend.
For more information about music festivals this summer, click here.
Woodstock Farm Festival: Every Wednesday Through October
Posted by Hudson Valley Good Stuff on Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 10:03 AM
- Hudson Valley Good Stuff/Vanessa Ahern
- Northwind Farms sells poultry and smoked meats
- Hudson Valley Good Stuff/Vanessa Ahern
- Homemade apple pie filling for sale
Woodstock Farm Festival Wednesdays started on May 29, and will run until October 23 for the 2013 season. It's a lovely community scene, and as one vendor says, it seems to get bigger and bigger every month. If you drive by, it just looks like a small farmers' market on Maple Lane, but there is a large area behind the market that has a few more vendors, a few restaurant stands, a live band, and a dozen or so picnic tables. You can find homemade jams, free-range eggs, meats from Northwind Farms, and plenty of vegetables and fruits in season from local farms. It's a very relaxed scene and kid-friendly. If you happen to be in Woodstock on Wednesdays from 3:30pm to dusk, you should defnitely check it out. The Woodstock Farm Festival is at 6 Maple Lane in Woodstock.
Follow Hudson Valley Good Stuff for where to eat, play and recharge your spirit in the Hudson Valley.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
What Every Healthy Dad Should Know
Posted by Wendy Kagan on Sun, Jun 16, 2013 at 9:00 AM
On this day of backyard barbecues and necktie gifts, it's a perfect time to remember what keeps the men in our lives, well, in our lives. For as long as possible. By simply being aware of the following Top 5 Men's Health Threats (gathered with statistics from the CDC), you're already doing something to protect the health of yourself or the men around you.
1. Heart Disease. You can steer clear of the single biggest threat to men's health by not smoking; managing chronic problems like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes; limiting alcohol; keeping stress at bay, and staying trim and fit with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
2. Cancer. Men need to avoid the top cancer killers which include lung cancer, skin cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer. Respectively, don't smoke, get regular skin and prostate screenings, and don't skip your colonoscopy (recommended at regular intervals for ages 50+).
3. Accidents. Wear your seatbelt, honor speed limits, never drink and drive, and don't take the wheel when you're sleepy.
4. Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases. DON'T SMOKE. (It's that simple.)
5. Stroke. See #1, heart disease, as the same safeguards apply for stroke. Also, know the warning signs, which include sudden numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of movement on one side of the body or face; sudden vision changes or trouble speaking; sudden problems with walking or balance; and sudden, intense headache.
Have a happy, healthy Father's Day!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Wholeshare: A Click and Ship Food Revolution
Posted by Jennifer Gutman on Sat, Jun 15, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Buying local, organic food is an ideal for many, but it's not always practical. Higher quality foods often mean higher prices, and a single specialty market might not offer as wide of a selection as a major supermarket.
Wholeshare, a new online group-purchasing platform, operates on the idea that all people should have access to local, organic products without hassle or extra cost. The system is pretty straightforward. You create an account with a local group by submitting a name, e-mail address, and zip code, and then you have access to a directory of organic food products—most of which are supplied by local vendors. You can then browse and shop for the products online by adding them to your cart, much as you would with any other online shopping interface. Once a group has reached the order minimum, the products are delivered at a specified time and location and distributed to the members.
What's important to note about the order minimum—or a dollar amount that some sellers require your group to meet before you can place an order—is that if your group does not meet the minimum by the order deadline, the order will not be placed. The coordinator would then establish a new deadline for the group to try to meet. So, though there is an element of uncertainty in the process, the concept is based in a spirit of collaboration. In fact, a popular means of reaching order minimums is by joining splits, which allow group members to buy bulk-sized items or cases together, and then split the order on delivery day.
Noel Thompson started the NewburghFoodCo in March 2013, and it currently has over 180 members. "I saw a lack of food sources in the city of Newburgh for fresh, natural, and organic food," says Thompson. "We use Wholeshare software that enables our members to order from over 3,500 items that include 33 local area farms." The products, which range from fresh produce and meats to nuts, grains, and pantry items, are ordered by the case to get wholesale pricing. For the Newburgh group, Thompson explains, Wholeshare aggregates individual orders in one pound increments until the entire group has ordered 40 pounds of a given product. When the order arrives, it is divided and distributed to the buyers. Buying in bulk directly from the source eliminates the retail markup, which reduces costs by about 20 percent than the supermarket.
Currently, NewburghFoodCo uses a space at the Calvary Presbyterian Church on Grand Street. "It is possible that the group will evolve into a physical site which could include a casual cafe and grocery store," says Thompson. "There is interest in the idea, and we have a core group of potential customers." Wholeshare is currently working with almost 100 groups around New York State, around 20 of which are in the Hudson Valley. In addition to Newburgh, regional Wholeshare groups include New Paltz, Beacon, Montgomery, Cornwall, Clinton Corners, and Copake. Visit Wholeshare's website for more information, and to search for a group in your area.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Chef Shack: The New Food Truck in Saugerties
Posted by Hudson Valley Good Stuff on Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 9:42 AM
- Hudson Valley Good Stuff
- Chef Shack Food Truck in Saugerties
- Hudson Valley Good Stuff
- 2 Lunch Specials at the Chef Shack Food Truck
Have you seen the new food truck in Saugerties at 208 Ulster Avenue? I was in Saugerties on Wednesday running an errand when I remembered that I wanted to try out the new food truck which sits right across from the Lumber Yard. I met the husband and wife team, George and Emily, who own the Shack Chef Food Truck at the Monday Night Groaning table at Duo Bistro. George invited me to try a lunch special.
Their menu has something for everyone. It is mostly New American gourmet cuisine. I ordered their quarter pound of smoked salmon on a bed of greens. (You have the option of having it on a house-baked brioche bun instead.) The $7.50 lunch specials include fries and a drink. My husband had the smoked chicken apple salad on greens with fries and a drink. The man who shared our picnic table with us said he was very pleased with his grass-fed burger. It was his second lunch at the Chef Shack Food Truck.
Emily and George are passionate about their food and their new business, and it shows. The quality of the food is very good. I think it is comparable to a dish you would eat in a restaurant. Chef Shack, Better Than Your Average Fare, 208 Ulster Avenue, Saugerties, NY (845) 453-2675. They do get busy at lunch time so if you are pressed for time on your lunch break, I'd phone your order in. They are only open Tuesday to Thursday 11am to 3pm at the moment.
Find out where to eat, play, and recharge your spirit by following Vanessa Ahern's blog, Hudson Valley Good Stuff.
Top Five on Friday: Things to Do with Dad
Posted by Jennifer Gutman on Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 9:00 AM
- Danny Wild/MLB.com
- Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls
June 16 is Father's Day, and whether it's your old man, your old man's old man, or a friend or sibling who is now an old man, it's a day to show the dads in your life how much you appreciate them. Here are our top five picks for things to do in the Hudson Valley this Father's Day.
The Old Ball Game
Take Dad out to see a Hudson Valley Renegades game, the region's exciting minor league team that won the New York-Penn League championship last year and has produced such MLB stars as Evan Longoria and Josh Hamilton. The season home opener on June 21 commences the team's 20th season in Dutchess County. A Father's Day family four pack is available for the home games at Dutchess Stadium on June 24 and 25 versus the Brooklyn Cyclones, which includes four tickets, four Renegades hats, catch on the field, and a family photo, all for $40.
Fish & Game
Try your hand at a back-country sport by taking dad out for a day of fishing or shooting. The Hudson Valley is home to numerous fishing charter services, which take people out on the Hudson River, like Tie One on Charters in Esopus and Hudson River Fishing Charters in Saugerties. You can also get information about freshwater fishing on lakes and ponds in the Hudson Valley and Catskills from the Department of Environmental Conservation. For a day with a bit more bang, try clay shooting at Dover Furnace in Dover Plains, the largest public facility of its kind in the North East.
Family Run
This year's fourth annual New Paltz Challenge Father's Day Half Marathon and Family 5K includes special discounts and prizes for father/child teams. Most of the race takes place on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail's flat terrain, which includes a combination of paved surfaces and gravel and packed dirt trails. Runners will start at 7:30am for the half marathon and at 8am for the 5K at the corner of Main Street and Huguenot Street. Set a new personal or team best, and then celebrate with a hearty lunch in town.
Trolley Ride
Located on the original site of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad yards at Milepost 1, the Trolley Museum of New York is an educational museum that offers rides from the foot of Broadway in downtown Kingston to picnic grounds on the shore of the Hudson River at Kingston Point. Other museum features include exhibits and educational programs on the history of rail transportation in the Hudson Valley, and displays of trolley, subway, and rapid transit cars from the United States and Europe. From 12pm-5pm on Father's Day, dads ride the trolley for free.
A Day on the Farm
Fishkill Farms is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year (Henry Morgenthau Jr. started the farm in 1913, and it remains in the family today). To kick off the celebration of their centennial year, the farm is throwing a Father's Day strawberry festival on Sunday, June 16, with berry picking, free ice cream for dads, hayrides, live reggae music, and a seasonal farm menu featuring strawberry shortcake.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival at Croton Point Park This Weekend
Posted by Caroline Budinich on Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 9:00 AM
Clearwater (also known as the Great Hudson River Revival), one of the most beloved music festivals on the East Coast, kicks off this weekend at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson. Co-established by local treasure Pete Seeger, it started as a fundraiser for the construction of the sloop Clearwater. Along with an appearance by Pete himself, this year's performers include Mavis Staples, Son Volt, Acoustic Hot Tuna, Judy Collins, Kris Kristofferson, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, the Dirt Farmer Band (Levon Helm Band members), David Amram, and many others.
The Clearwater Festival, running this year from June 15 to 16, features seven sustainably powered stages with diverse music, dance, storytelling and family-oriented programming. The weekend also features homemade crafts, a green living expo, and the Working Waterfront, offering small boat showcases and rides. The festival is wheelchair accessible, with wheelchairs available free of charge on site. Most of the stages are staffed with American Sign Language interpreters, and signers are available upon request.
Clearwater has grown into one of the country’s largest annual environmental celebrations. There are zero waste stations throughout the park, where recyclables and compostables are collected separately from trash. In 2012, Clearwater expanded the number of collection stations throughout the site and recycled 10,140 pounds of organic material.
For more information about Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival and other summer music festivals, click here.
Saugerties Guitarist Connor Kennedy Plays Record Release Event
Posted by Peter Aaron on Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 9:00 AM
No, he’s not the guy who dated Taylor Swift. This Connor Kennedy (note the spelling; two n’s in his first name, not one) is, arguably, the Hudson Valley music scene’s fastest-rising young prodigy. In only a few short years, the 19-year-old Saugerties guitarist and vocalist has gone from playing local open mikes to performing with Amy Helm and other venerated local names. He’s also about to unveil his debut album, Nothing Lasts: Nothing’s Over (Independent), which is being heralded with a special record release show at Levon Helm Studios on June 29.
Citing David Gilmour, Albert King, Albert Collins, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Freddie King as his inspirations, Kennedy formed his first band, Depot Street, at age 17. In addition to performing as a sideman to others, Kennedy leads the Connor Kennedy Band (which features drummer Lee Falco, bassist Brandon Morrison, and keyboardist Zach Tenorio-Miller) and fronts Rethink Pink, a Pink Floyd tribute act that co-stars guitarist Scott Sharrard of the Gregg Allman Band. Nothing Lasts: Nothing’s Over features six originals and a version of Bob Dylan’s “Goin’ to Acapulco.”
Take a listen to this track from the album:
The Connor Kennedy Band will play at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock on June 29 Also performing are students of the Paul Green Rock Academy. Tickets are $20 (standing room only) and $50 (seating; includes CD and signed poster). For set times and more information, visit www.levonhelm.com.
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Re: Chef Shack: The New Food Truck in Saugerties
The Chorizo burger, fries and coleslaw... yummy!
- on June 14, 2013
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Re: Top Five on Friday: Ice Cream, Gelato, and Popsicles
Though I see we did not mention the city of Beacon in the blurb. Bad…
- on May 31, 2013
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Re: Top Five on Friday: Ice Cream, Gelato, and Popsicles
Dear reader, there's a handy-dandy link on the words Zora Dora that links to their…
- on May 31, 2013
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Re: Top Five on Friday: Ice Cream, Gelato, and Popsicles
where is Zora Dora available? I want to try!
- on May 31, 2013
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Re: Gardiner Cupcake Festival: A Food Blogger's Dream
You tasted 30 cupcakes? Wow. When is the dental visit Vanessa?
- on May 22, 2013
